Take a Mountain Man Home for Christmas: A Mountain Man Romance Christmas Collection

by Crowne, K. C.

  So instead, I replied with, “I need you too. Both of you.”

  And it was the goddamned truth.

  Cassie

  “Thank you so much for watching Owen, Madison,” I said, stepping into the living room, my jaw-dropping as I saw who else was on the couch. “Jack! What are you doing here?”

  “Surprise!” Madison said, jumping from the couch.

  Jack was holding our son and carefully got up as well, following his sister as she ran to me. “I decided it was about time for another visit.”

  “I coordinated it all with Teddy,” Madison announced. “Since I knew you would be at the job interview, I thought it would be a perfect time to sneak him over so you’d have something nice to return to.”

  “Interview, huh?” Jack asked.

  “Yeah, just for a waitressing job at Felicity’s new restaurant,” I said, waving a hand as if to dismiss it. “It’s not much, but it’ll help.”

  “Did you get the job?” Madison asked.

  “Yeah, I got it,” I said, smiling. “I start on Monday.”

  “Are you sure you can handle a job right now?” Jack asked, concern in his voice. “With Owen and everything?”

  I knew the look he gave me. He wanted to talk to me alone. We’d been working together for a couple of weeks, trying to prepare for his meeting with some big boss type to gather evidence. I offered him legal advice on how to get evidence that would hold up in court and had researched a bit on how to get it, but that was it. Jack was adamant that the less I knew, the safer we’d all be.

  “I have to, Jack,” I countered. “I’m running out of savings, and I can’t continue mooching off Madison and Teddy for the rest of my life.”

  “To be fair, we’d totally let you live here forever, or at least until Owen went away to college,” Madison said with a wink. “Whatever you need.”

  I took my best friend’s hands in mine and squeezed. “I know you would, Madison, and I appreciate that. But that’s not who I am or what I want to do. I need to stand on my own two feet.”

  “With my help,” Jack added.

  “With Jack’s help, obviously,” I said, my voice wistful at the thought. It felt like a dream to me, the two of us together, raising our son.

  Madison could sense the tension between Jack and me, and she quietly excused herself. “I’ll let the two lovebirds have some time alone.” She slipped from the room, leaving me with Jack.

  “Why didn’t you tell me you were looking for work?” he asked.

  “I didn’t think I had to,” I defended. “I told you I needed to start taking care of us. I figured it was a given.”

  “I sent money. And I can send more. You just need to tell me how much you need.”

  I sighed and walked over to the couch, collapsing onto it. I rubbed my eyelids, which felt heavy with the pain that throbbed behind them. I wasn’t sleeping much. Owen woke up a little more often these days, and even when he didn’t wake me up, I struggled to sleep due to the stress.

  Jack joined me, sitting down beside me as Owen began fussing in his arms.

  “Here, give him to me,” I said.

  “I’ve got him. You look like you need to rest.”

  Jack changed the position he was holding Owen, and I watched as he smiled at his son. It tugged at my insides and made them turn to goo all at the same time. It was hard to stay mad at him. He was trying. He had sent over money, but I didn’t want him to feel pressured to participate in more illegal activity just to keep us afloat.

  I also needed to feel self-sufficient, so it wasn’t just about him. I wasn’t the type of woman who dreamt of being taken care of by someone else. But I did need to rest, so I didn’t explain any of that to him.

  “You know, maybe your dad was right,” he commented after a moment.

  “About what?” I yawned.

  “About you being better off without me. Maybe you should take his deal,” Jack said, not looking at me. His face had fallen. He was no longer smiling.

  I was wide awake. “Jack, seriously? That would mean you wouldn’t get to be in your son’s life, and I’m not okay with denying either of you a relationship when I’m more than capable of surviving on my own.”

  “No, I don’t wanna miss out on my son’s life,” he agreed. “That’s the last thing I want. But I can’t help but think you’ll be better off. Your dad would pay for you to finish law school, you’d never want for anything. You and Owen would be comfortable for life.”

  I sat upright and turned to Jack. Reaching out, I took his face in my hands, his beard tickling my fingers as I forced him to look at me. “No amount of money would ever make up for him not having you in his life. He will know you, Jack, and that’s final. I refuse to give in on this.”

  Staring into his eyes, I felt a pull toward him. Any anger or frustration from earlier had dissipated. I leaned forward and pressed my lips to his. He kissed me back, and I opened my mouth for him, our tongues barely touching before Owen let out a soft cry.

  We pulled away, and Jack checked on him. Owen’s pacifier had fallen from his mouth. He popped it back in with an adorable little boop and was back to smiling again.

  The way Jack looked at Owen, I knew he loved him dearly. He would do anything for his son, even give him up if he thought he’d have a better life. I’d never have imagined it, not in a million years. I always knew Jack was a good guy down deep, but I didn’t know he’d like being a father so much.

  I felt blessed to have him in my life. I was happy. At least for a few minutes, I could forget about everything we were dealing with.

  “We need to talk,” he announced, shattering the mood.

  “About?”

  “About the job,” he said. “I have to leave tomorrow. Another reason I wanted to come by today.”

  My heart dropped. “You’re meeting with the big boss tomorrow?”

  “Yes,” he confirmed. “I have all the wires, everything I need. I wanted to spend time with you and Owen. Just in case…” He didn’t finish the sentence, and I was grateful for that. I already had nightmares about losing him. He didn’t need to remind me about what was at stake here.

  Tears burned my eyes. This was it. He was really going through with it.

  “I think you should talk to Teddy, get him to help you,” I said weakly. I knew Jack had his reasons for not talking to Teddy. It wasn’t that he didn’t trust Teddy; he just didn’t trust the justice system.

  Jack shook his head, and he told me exactly what I’d already assumed. “You know why I can’t. The big guy is impossible to catch. He’s too powerful. Too good.”

  “And you think you’re better than Teddy to catch him?”

  “Yes. Because I don’t have to operate within the confines of the law,” he said. “And I can’t give myself away. If they even suspected I was working with the cops, well…”

  Again, he didn’t have to finish the sentence. I knew what had happened to Madison - how they almost killed her and were planning to make it look like a suicide, just like they’d done to their father. They had feared Madison knew too much. Right now, they were hanging low, waiting for people to return to being complacent again. And then, well, who knew when they’d attack. Or who they’d go after next.

  I sighed and closed my eyes, clenching them tightly to block the tears from falling.

  “It’s gonna be okay, Cassie. I promise.”

  Jack’s voice was so sincere, and I wanted to believe him. I wanted to think he was capable of getting what he needed and getting out safely, but there was no guarantee.

  My eyes popped open again. “Is there any way I can convince you to not do this?”

  “I’m sorry, Cassie, but no. I see no other option.”

  I wanted to argue with him, to tell him there were always other options, but every time I managed to come up with one, there was a reason it wouldn’t work.

  “I know these guys better than anyone else does, and they trust me,” he said.

  “They also trusted
your dad, right?” I scoffed. “And look what happened to him.”

  “Yeah, but my dad was a perpetual screw-up. He went around town talking too much, especially in the later years, when he got cocky. He thought he was safe. He drank too damned much and ran his mouth. He was a liability, so they took him out.”

  “And you’re not a liability to them?” I asked.

  “I don’t talk to anyone. That’s the difference. And that’s why I haven’t told anyone what I know.”

  “You talk to me.”

  “You’re different, Cassie. I trust you. And even then, I don’t tell you everything.” I lifted an eyebrow. “Mostly to keep you safe. If anything were to happen to me, I—”

  “Stop saying that.”

  Jack turned to me, reaching a hand over and stroking my cheek. He wiped one of my tears away with his fingertip.

  “I just wanna make sure you and Owen are safe. You two and Madison and Zoey are all that matters to me now,” he said. “I’ll do anything to protect all of you.”

  I leaned closer to Jack, wanting nothing more than to feel his lips on mine. I wanted to hold him, touch him, kiss him. I never wanted to forget the way his strong arms felt around my body or the way his eyes burned with desire from looking at me. Or the smile he on his face when staring at his son.

  I never wanted to imagine my life without any of that.

  Jack leaned close as well, and we kissed softly, with Owen safely tucked into Jack’s arms. He was already falling asleep, safe and calm in his daddy’s arms.

  “So, I went to the doctor yesterday,” I said, biting my lower lip.

  “Oh yeah? What did they say?” Jack’s brow furrowed with concern.

  “I got the all-clear to resume normal activities,” I said with a smile. “Hard to believe it’s been six weeks, huh?”

  Jack looked confused at first, but then he looked hurt. “Six weeks already. Damn, I’ve missed so much.” He stared at Owen in his arms, and for a moment, I thought he might cry. But instead, he whispered, “I’ve missed so much, but I promise you, we will be together soon, and I won’t ever miss another minute.”

  My heart swelled. My family had been wrong about Jack. I’d always known it, but I knew it even more so now. He was a good man, a man who wanted to do the right thing. And he was a damned good father.

  Jack played with Owen’s limp hand, admiring the tiny fingers against his. Owen was fast asleep now, but I didn’t want the moment to end. I wanted to give Jack all the time in the world with his son. Because he was right, he’d already missed a lot. I stared at Owen when he was asleep all the time, surprised that this little life was mine to care for, that this precious boy was my son. Jack didn’t get many chances to do that, so I let him have his moment.

  After a while, Jack looked at me with a small smirk. “Normal activities, eh?”

  The look on Jack’s face caused a warmth to grow in my lower body. My panties were wet in an instant.

  I knew right then that Jack would be staying the night.

  * * *

  Owen was asleep in his crib. Jack’s arms were wrapped around my waist, holding me against him as we stared at our little boy.

  His lips pressed against my forehead first. His beard tickled my skin and caused me to giggle. He smiled at me and said, “You’re so beautiful, do you know that?”

  “Beautiful? I have bags under my eyes, and I only shower like every three days now,” I only half-joked.

  “Trust me; you are the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen.”

  I bit my lip and stared into his eyes. He leaned down and kissed me deeply, and I opened my mouth to him, letting his tongue dance with mine. His hands moved over my body, pulling up my shirt and lifting it over my head. He tossed it to the floor as he gently nudged me away from the crib and toward the bed.

  I pulled at his t-shirt, yanking it over his head.

  His chest was chiseled and covered in tattoos. My fingers traced the symbols etched upon his skin, savoring the feeling of his muscles beneath his flesh. I’d never get tired of seeing his body, of touching him, or kissing him.

  I pulled at his belt, and Jack helped me remove it, then unzipped his pants. I tugged them down his hips, and he pushed them the rest of the way down, stepping out of them as he moved to the bed. He sat down on it, fully naked.

  I was too busy staring at him and didn’t even realize that my own pants were still on. But Jack made quick work of those, and I was naked before him. He pulled me onto his lap, and I straddled him, his swollen member pressed against my most sensitive parts.

  I ground my body against his, feeling the length of him rubbing against my clit. I was so wet already that his cock slid against me.

  Jack’s hands gripped my hips tightly, holding me against him as our mouths collided again. We kissed as I moved against him, teasing myself as my body craved to be filled by him. The head of his cock kept brushing against my opening, and I let out a groan into Jack’s mouth.

  “Please,” I whimpered.

  He laid down on, but I remained sitting upright. He stared at me, his eyes filled with heat. He explored my body, running his hands up my sides, taking my breasts into his palms, and kneading them gently.

  “Please, Jack,” I whimpered again. “I need you.”

  “Are you sure it’s fine?” he asked me.

  “Yes, yes, the doctor gave me the okay.” My voice was high-pitched and whiney. I was literally on the verge of begging him to fuck me.

  He reached between our bodies and took his member in his hand. He pressed the tip against my opening, stretching me only slightly, enough to make me gasp. I slid down the length of him, slowly taking him inside.

  He was thick, and I was nervous it might hurt, but my body was ready for him. I stretched open and was soaking wet, so he slipped inside easily.

  I ground against him, my clit rubbing against his pelvis. His hands were on my ass, helping find a rhythm that brought me to the edge of orgasm within a matter of seconds. Just feeling him inside me, rubbing all parts of me, caused me to come.

  I dug my nails into his chest as my thighs tightened around his body. Jack held onto me, prolonging my sweet release for a few moments longer.

  Once I recovered, he started guiding my hips again. I began rocking back and forth and bouncing up and down. Jack’s face twisted into a look of bliss, and he let out a deep groan, pulling me close to him and burying his cock even deeper inside me.

  I almost cried out, but I didn’t want to be too loud. I fell forward, my face against the crook of his neck, buried in his flesh. I came a second time, harder than the first. I bit Jack’s shoulder to drown out the screams trying to force their way out of me.

  After that orgasm subsided, Jack grabbed my hips and rolled us both over. He was hovering above me now, staring deep into my eyes as he buried himself balls deep once more. I held onto him for dear life. My legs were wrapped around him, pulling myself up to meet each and every one of his thrusts. His lips crashed into mine, and our bodies moved as one. His tongue moved in and out of my mouth just as his cock moved in and out of my body.

  My grip on him tightened, and my nails dug into his back. Jack’s body tightened and shook, and he didn’t have to tell me; I already knew he was coming.

  Feeling his throbbing cock inside me sent me over the edge again. We came together, both of us trying our hardest to remain quiet as pleasure ripped through our bodies.

  I felt the aftershocks of that orgasm even after it subsided. Jack remained sheathed inside me, holding himself up with his forearms and looking deep into my eyes. He kissed me, and it was almost like he never wanted to pull out. But after a few moments, he did.

  A rush of warmth reminded me that we hadn’t used a condom. Jack seemed to panic when he noticed. I stroked his face and said, “Relax, Jack. I have an IUD now. No more babies for a while.”

  He kissed the tip of my nose. “Not until we get all this cleared up, at least. Then, well…”

  I chuckled, but on the
inside, my heart swelled about a million times its normal size. “You wanna have another baby?”

  “Not now, of course. But Owen needs a sibling or two or five.” He cracked a smile, letting me know he was teasing - mostly.

  But still. The idea that Jack had even thought about expanding our family meant the world to me. I was giddy with the idea of it, imagining the future in my head as we snuggled in bed together. My fingers traced his tattoos as he stroked my hair, running his fingers through it.

  My eyes were growing heavy; I was able to forget about what was coming the next day.

  * * *

  I awoke with a start. I checked the time on the alarm clock beside the bed: after five a.m. Owen usually woke me up for a feeding by then. I sat upright in the bed, wiping the sleep from my eyes and trying to figure out why my son hadn’t woken me up yet.

  I climbed out of bed and hurried to my son’s crib.

  He was gone.

  I grabbed the edges of the crib for stability, panic taking over my brain. I was shaking, and my heart was racing so fast I thought it might explode out of my chest.

  The bedroom door opened, and Jack walked into the room. Owen was cradled safely in his arms, feeding from one of the bottles I had made for him the night before.

  “Oh, thank God,” I muttered, rushing to Jack’s side. My legs still felt weak. “I thought something had happened to him,” I said, wiping the tears from my eyes.

  “I’m sorry,” Jack said. “I thought you could use a little extra sleep. I tried not to wake you.”

  I nodded. “Thank you, it’s just, well, I’m not used to anyone else taking care of him, so my first thought was…” I didn’t want to finish the thought. The idea of it was just too terrifying to put into words.

  “He’s fine,” Jack reassured me. “Everything’s fine.”

  I took a deep breath and re-learned how to breathe normally. Everything was fine.